January 2025

January 31st, 2025

It's the last week of January! I keep saying it, but time flies when you are having fun. Here's what we were up to this week:

Language

This week for our podcast, we listened to episodes 2 and 3. We met new characters and we got the answer to the opening cliffhanger. And yet, we find ourselves ending episode 3 with a new mystery. Along the way, students are answering questions and making predictions. 

We learned about nonfiction text features and how they help readers understand new material. In Google Classroom, students were given a chart of definitions and examples, and as they read through a text, they were tasked with trying to identify as many text features as possible. During February, we will focus on nonfiction texts.

Math

We started the week by creating a word wall with definitions and examples of the geometric terms we have been learning about. Each term is on the wall and they can be referred to throughout the unit. 

We focused this week on learning about the different types of triangles. Students learned that they could classify triangles by angle - acute, right,  and obtuse - and by side lengths - equilateral, scalene, and isosceles. Next week we will be working to construct triangles given two side lengths and the included angle. 

Social Studies

We are wrapping up our Social Studies unit by working on an inquiry into how past relationships are connected to today's issues. Students created questions and have been hard at work doing research and putting together how they want to present their information. I can't wait for them to share their work next week. 

Science

This week we learned about physical and chemical changes. This work will help us as we learn to assess the impacts on society and the environment of various processes and materials used in the manufacture of common products, and ways to mitigate negative impacts.

The Arts

We are continuing to work on our Kandinsky art. Hopefully, we will have them finished and up on the walls in the next week. Students are reminded that the success criteria are in Google Classroom and that we are looking for a work of art using a variety of geometric concepts and bright colours. 

Health

This week we explored different anti-drug ads and students assessed whether or not they felt they were impactful. Once finished, they were tasked with creating ads that they believed would be impactful for their peers. They're almost done and many are quite powerful.

Physical Education

We started a new unit, Soccer. We played a few different rounds of Cleanies and Messies and then we got into another game to help support all students in feeling comfortable moving with the ball. Next week we will be getting into a couple of games of soccer.

The Wrap-Up

What a great week! We're getting in a lot of learning and working on making connections between different subject areas. As a reminder for interested students and families, additional practice is posted in Google Classroom weekly on Wednesdays. 

Have a wonderful weekend. Please stay warm. I will see you on Monday. 

January 24th, 2025

If we didn't notice it before, winter is here! With the extreme cold, we had a couple of days where we spent the entire day indoors, which wasn't ideal, but we considered ways to keep ourselves entertained at recess. This week was filled with a lot of new learning. Here's what we were up to:

Language

This week, we started a new podcast. The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian is a science-fiction serial podcast for kids that tells the story of a boy aboard the Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Space Station who explores far-away galaxies, interacts with curious aliens and solves a mystery that will (fingers crossed) keep his home from being vaporized. Before listening to the first episode, students listened to the introduction and were asked to predict what they thought the podcast was about briefly. Once finished, we explored:

• Characters that we met - Finn, Abigail, Vale, Elias - and their roles.

• The setting is the Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Space Station, the robot room, and Finn's bedroom. 

• What happened in the episode - sneaking into the robot room, learning about what happens on your eighth birthday.  

We won't be listening to this podcast as often as we listened to Six Minutes, but we'll be sure to keep up so we don't forget what happened. 

Math

We jumped into our Geometry unit by exploring what we know about 2D shapes, 3D forms and angles. We certainly know quite a bit about geometry. We started exploring angles, learning how to measure them using a protractor and identifying different angles - acute, right, obtuse and straight. Once we understood these benchmarks for angles, students participated in an activity where they had to identify different angles in images. Students also learned how to construct different angles using a ruler and protractor. On Friday, we learned about different triangles, created some using geoboards, and sorted them using two attributes. The work continues next week as we learn about scalene, isosceles and equilateral triangles. 

Social Studies

This week, we learned about early settlements in New France. As part of this work, students were tasked with formulating questions to guide investigations into interactions among Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Indigenous and European people. Many questions centred around power and differences in thought concerning the land. Next week, we will dig further into our inquiry and understand how past relationships are connected to today's issues. 

Science

We watched a couple of videos to help us start our unit on Matter. Students learned that there are three states of matter - solid, liquid, and gas - and they also had the opportunity to learn some of the properties of matter - density, colour, mass, volume, length, melting point, boiling point, and hardness. On Friday, we made cornstarch mud, which helped us see first-hand how something could be a solid and a liquid at once. It was a little messy but a whole lot of fun. 

Health

Understanding peer pressure and learning refusal skills are essential for helping youth stand up for themselves and make decisions that they are proud of. This week, we watched a video about peer pressure where we heard from a few kids and learned some tips on how to refuse substances such as alcohol or cannabis. 

Physical Education

We wrapped up our last week of basketball with games against different teams. Next week, we will be starting a unit on soccer. 

The Wrap-Up

Interested students and families are reminded that additional practice is available in Google Classroom. Some students were looking for additional practice with measuring angles, and that information was posted on Wednesday. 

It was another cold and busy week in 5A at Dublin Heights EMS. I hope you have a safe and restful weekend. I look forward to seeing you on Monday.

January 16th, 2025

This was a short but busy week as we finished units of study. Here's what we were up to:

Language

Our I Am From poems are up! This week we typed good copies, reviewed our work, and many students added illustrations. We laminated them and they are up on the wall outside of our classroom. These poems are a great way to get a glimpse into the lives of others as students share a bit about themselves and their lived experiences. I'm so proud of their work. 

Math

The week was filled with learning about volume. We started the week by creating different rectangular prisms with a volume of 24 cubic centimetres. From there, students used the formula for volume to practice solving various problems. On Wednesday students were tasked with measuring boxes in the classroom and determining the length, width, height and finally the volume. Many were surprised at the results and quickly understood that they were calculating how many centimetre cubes it would take to fill the boxes. With that in mind, students were able to determine whether or not they believed their calculations were accurate and double-checked their work with calculators. We wrapped up the week with a quiz today. Next week we will be venturing into the world of geometry!

Social Studies

This week we learned more about some of the interactions among First Nations and between First Nations and Inuit before contact with Europeans. We learned about trade, alliances and confederacies.  We also learned about some of the main motives for Europeans’ exploration of Indigenous lands that were eventually claimed by Canada. As students learned about the establishment of permanent European settlements, they analyzed aspects of contact between Indigenous peoples and European explorers and settlers and determined ways in which different parties benefited from each other. We dug in deep to understand the fur trade, gaining a better understanding of the benefits and challenges. 

Science

We wrapped up our Conservation of Energy Unit by having discussions on Climate Change and energy efficiency. We also discussed some of the costs associated with utilizing energy efficient appliances, light bulbs and when considering using non-renewable resources.  Our next unit will be on Matter. Students will notice that there is a reading that they can explore in this week's Additional Practice in Google Classroom.

Health

We continued our unit on substance use and addiction. Students this week continued to learn about the short- and long-term effects of alcohol and we also looked at factors associated with intoxication. We will be continuing this work next week as we look at factors that influence the use of these substances and how we can apply decision-making, assertiveness, and refusal skills to deal with the pressures of alcohol use or other behaviours that could later lead to addiction. 

Physical Education

This week was all about the game of basketball. Teams played against each other in 5 minute games. It was great to see many students running up and down the court showing their skills at offence and defence. Next week we will continue to play with the hopes of helping those who feel hesitant to feel more comfortable jumping in and giving it their best.

The Arts

We wrapped up looking at the last few elements of art - Form and Space. Students continued to work on practicing their drawing skills. Next week we will be starting a project related to Math using Shape, Form and Space. 

The Wrap-Up

This is a reminder to families that tomorrow is a P.A. Day and there is no school for students. 

Students will notice that Additional Practice is back in Google Classroom. New material will be uploaded weekly on Wednesday morning. 

I had a request to extend online Scholastic orders. They are now due on Friday, January 24th, 2025 for families interested in ordering books. Please visit https://bookclubs.scholastic.ca/ and use our online class code - RC186231. 

Have a great long weekend! See you on Monday.

January 10th, 2025

Welcome back & happy new year! We're back at it in 5A and it's almost as though we never left. Here's what we were up to this week:

Language

We started the year by creating I Am From poems. Given a series of prompts, students were encouraged to consider different aspects of their lives and family to create an interesting poem. Their rough copies were edited and revised this week and many have already started typing their good copies. We will be adding images and eventually, they'll be up on our walls, sharing a little about who we are and where we are from. 

Math

This week we started with an independent task related to length, perimeter and area and then moved into determining capacity and mass benchmarks. Once we established our benchmarks, students were tasked with solving problems related to capacity and mass and the conversion of units. We're almost ready to wrap up our unit on measurement. Next week we will be exploring volume. 

Science

This week students presented their projects on natural phenomena and offered each other feedback. Next week we will wrap up our conservation of energy unit.

Social Studies

We took a deep dive into learning about First Nations Peoples in Eastern Canada before 1600. We learned about different communities, oral histories, the connection to the environment, roles and responsibilities within communities, and ways consensus was reached within communities.  Students explored the Wendat and Innu communities, considering trade and how the environment may have impacted the way of life. Next week we will be exploring early contact between First Nations Peoples and Europeans.  

Health

We started a new unit on substance use and addiction. Students learned about some of the short- and long-term effects of alcohol and cannabis use and also learned about how addiction can occur. We also learned the role of dopamine and how it impacts addiction. We will be continuing this work next week as we look at factors that impact intoxication. 

Physical Education

We jumped into a new unit - basketball. Students practiced dribbling with their dominant and non-dominant hands, lay-ups, and chest and bounce passes. We got in a modified game of bump. Next week we'll be playing a couple of games to see our skills in action.

The Arts

We are on the last few of our elements of Art. This week we learned about Shape and how they are used in works of Art. Students took the time to draw a variety of organic and geometric shapes and spent some time determining the positive and negative space in quick drawings.  Next week we will be moving on to Form and finally Space. 

The Wrap-Up

Next week is a shorter week with a PA Day on Friday. There is no school for students on Friday, January 17th, 2025. 

I will resume posting additional practice in Google Classroom starting next Wednesday.

Online Scholastic orders are due on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 for families interested in ordering books. Visit https://bookclubs.scholastic.ca/ and use our online class code - RC186231. 

It is getting colder and colder outside. Students are outside for recess and are encouraged to make sure that they dress warmly. Layers are helpful as are hats and gloves. If you require help with this, please email and let me know.

Have a wonderful weekend! See you on Monday.